Our Purpose
To connect the Welsh across the globe and to put our beloved Wales on the map.
Our Purpose? To connect the Welsh across the globe and to put our beloved Wales on the map.
Why?
If you’ve experienced ‘hiraeth’, if Wales holds a special place in your heart, then you know how happy it makes you feel when you connect with fellow Welsh men and women. We’re here to make that happen, to bring you closer to each other and closer to home.
On the map, you could easily miss us. Making sure that Wales is seen and heard is no easy task! How often do we hear “Wales?! Is that in England?!” “You have your own language?!” We’ve come a long way thanks to the likes of Gareth Bale, Katherie Jenkins, Sir Tom Jones and Gavin & Stacey.…. but we’ve still got a lot of work to do.
Wales has so much to offer the world. Together, let’s make it happen.
Our Work?
Storytelling. Sharing the story of Wales, our amazing people and organisations, our stunning landscape and thriving culture. We share them in our bilingual magazine ‘Yr Enfys’, online, in person and wherever we go.
Events. Organising events and opportunities to share and celebrate our beautiful language and culture.
Supporting Others. Working with Welsh and International societies and organisations to celebrate Wales.
Supporting Good Causes. Sponsoring projects and opportunities, that allow the Welsh and our friends across the globe to experience Wales, our language and culture.
Our Team
Mainly volunteers, but we have three part time staff. Many of us are based in Wales, with other team members and Ambassadors across the globe.
President – Aran Jones
President Aran Jones was appointed in 2020. He is based in North Wales but has lived across the globe. His passion for the Welsh language led him on to be the founder of the amazing Say Something in Welsh, which has helped over 60,000 people across the globe to learn our beautiful Welsh language.
Chair – Professor Stuart Cole
Chairman Stuart Cole was appointed in 2020. He’s a Llanelli boy, who’s work in the transport industry has led him across the globe.
Our part time staff
Marketing & Communications Manager – Heulwen Davies
Heulwen was appointed in 2020 and is based near Machynlleth, the Ancient Capital of Wales. Having studied in the USA and having travelled the world as a TV Producer and Director, Heulwen is passionate about storytelling and is a published author.
Editor of yr Enfys Magazine – Nia Davies – Jones
Nia is the Editor of our ‘Enfys Magazine, passionate about collecting and showcasing the stories and produce of Wales.
Secretary – Gwenith Elias
Gwenith is from North Wales but is now based in Ceredigion with her family. She loves engaging with our international members and partners.
Our Ambassadors
Our Ambassadors play an important role. They keep us connected with the Welsh and Welsh Communities across the globe. They also help us share our story in their part of the world.
Ian Samways – Pennsylvania, USA
Ian is passionate about promoting our Welsh language and culture in the USA and states. His Welsh heritage is nowhere near as extensive as his English and Scottish, but he has the “bonus” of being able to claim Welsh godparents! A Welsh language class offered by his local Cymdeithas, St. David’s Society of Pittsburgh, was his first small step toward joining their Board and that of the North American Festival of Wales, serving as President for a time in each place, and attending and organising numerous Welsh-themed events locally and in North America. He loves our National Eisteddfod in Wales! He’s travelled to Wales for many Eisteddfod’s over the years, twice to compete in Learner’s Recitation. Having been inspired by our nation and culture, he’s been proud to chair NAFOW’s Eisteddfod Committee for some years.
Evrah Rose – North Wales
Hailing from Wrexham, North Wales, Evrah is incredibly passionate about her hometown and driven to share the innovate things that are happening in the town – including the exciting developments at Wrexham RFC, recently put on the map when Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mc Elhenney bought the club!
Evrah Rose is a spoken word poet who started writing when she was just 9 years old! She’s been making big waves in Wales and beyond, receiving commissions by the BBC. Evrah is a socially conscious injustice poet who delves into taboo subject matter without fear, using a mix of her own experiences and perspectives of others.
Liz Millman – Melbourne & North Wales
Liz Millman, nee Williams, is a traveller, splitting her time at present between Wales and Australia, staying with family in Melbourne.
Although living in Worcestershire, Liz spent every holiday at Nain’s house in Menai Bridge and grew up to love her Welsh heritage.
Liz set up and still manages the social enterprise, Learning Links International, which is now based in Wales, and mainly explores the shared histories of Wales and countries around the world.
When in Australia Liz attends Welsh Classes at the Welsh Church in Melbourne and is reviving links between Beaumaris in Victoria and Beaumaris on Anglesey and curates stories for the People’s Collection Wales in the new Migration project.
Liz’s other main link is with the island of Jamaica, where she has undertaken a range of project work in communities for over 20 years, most recently establishing the Jamaica Wales Alliance.
Dan Rowbotham – West Wales
Shw’mae! I’m Dan Rowbotham. I come from Llangeitho, near Tregaron in Ceredigion. I work as co-ordiantor of Yr Atom, Carmarthen’s Welsh Centre and as a Welsh Tutor at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. I’m a past president of Urdd Gobaith Cymru, an organisation that has given me so many opportunities as a member and as a volunteer, including staffing the Urdd’s 10th trip to Y Wladfa in Patagonia. In 2016, I was the recipient of the Meredydd Evans memorial prize, by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.
For two years, I worked as an Intern at the Madog Centre for Welsh Studies at the University of Rio Grande in South East Ohio in the United States, as I studied for my master’s degree. I worked on the university campus and in the local community promoting the area’s Welsh heritage. I worked on a programme of activities and events, including Welsh classes, promoting study abroad in Wales for a semester and on the Jackson city Schools Eisteddfod, the only Eisteddfod that continues to happen as part of the educational system in North America.
I’m still active in the North American Welsh community, as a member and Welsh tutor with Côr Cymry Gogledd America, the North American Welsh Choir, and as a tutor for the Madog Center for Welsh Studies, as well as supporting the work of committees, boards and institutions across North America. I’m extremely honoured and excited to be one the Wales International Ambassadors. Although Wales is small, it is rich with people, landscape and culture. I think it so important to celebrate and communicate our people all over the world.
Become an Ambassador!
We’re keen to develop our network of Ambassadors across the globe, you can represent a geographical area, a Society or organisation. You don’t have to be Welsh! If you’re passionate about Wales and are keen to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Contact Us (email marketing@walesinternational.cymru)
Our History
… Our Story was inspired by the Scots in Cairo! Image of T Elwyn Griffiths.
Proud Welshman T. Elwyn Griffiths was serving with the air force in Cairo in 1943, when he discovered that his fellow Scots had a magazine and a number of bodies which allowed the Scottish soldiers to connect with their home country. He was inspired and determined to provide the Welsh soldiers with the same opportunity.
With plenty of support from his fellow Welshmen and plenty of hard graft, the first publication of the ‘Seren y Dwyrain Magazine’ came to light and was distributed widely to the soldiers across the Middle East, easing their ‘hiraeth’ for home.
After returning to his home in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, he founded an official society to connect the Welsh across the globe, ‘Undeb y Cymry ar Wasgar’ as we were known at the time, was launched at the National Eisteddfod in Bridgend in 1948.
T.Elwyn Griffiths remained highly involved in both the Committee and Yr Enfys, for 40 years. He was awarded an MA from The University of Wales and a medal from America in recognition of his work.
We’ve come on along way, but our mission remains the same. Our working partnership with the National Eisteddfod is also extremely important to us.
Undeb Cymru a’r Byd,
PO BOX 275,
Llanrhystud,
Cymru.
SY23 5AW